Tag: Respect

Oona for mayor(ess?)!

jkitleft Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:23:20 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

I have a dark secret. I did not want Oona King to win at the last election. I did not realise how dangerous the new member was. I was angry about Iraq at the time. Had I realised that supporting Oona would have been preferable to supporting a candidate well to the right of most Tories, I would have personally canvassed in Bethnal Green.

But, I want Oona back in politics. Post-2005, not only have I changed my politics, but she doesn't fit easily into the Blairite role. Luckily, we can look forward to at least one good result in 2010 (perhaps an isolated result, but we should fight to make sure that it isn't), and RESPECT will be kicked out of the East End.

However, we already have a great candidate in Bethnal Green, and I hope Jim Fitzpatrick kicks Galloway's ass in Poplar. So I have another suggestion. She should be our candidate for mayor in 2012.




Respect is Dead, Long Live Proper Politics

rupahuq Thu Jan 03, 2008 at 11:04:24 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

The idea of “respect” in politics seemed so zeitgeisty back in 05 but today it’s almost a dirty word. Its loss of currency can be seen in the demise of the Respect Taskforce, once flagship of the third Blair victory as well as in the haemorrhaging of George Galloway’s vanity project Respect party into two floundering factions




The Oona King Diaries: House Music

grayee Sun Dec 30, 2007 at 10:45:51 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Finally, while on holiday I got round to read her autobiography “The Oona King Diaries: House Music” (£9.09 from Amazon) by the former MP for Bethnal Green & Bow.

I’m still trying to plough my way through Alistair Campbell’s “The Blair Years”. Oona’s book is a much better read and far more entertaining. It’s a pity about that the libel laws and Galloway’s deep pockets preclude more of her views on what she really thinks about him. So, as she suggests, we will probably have to wait for him to pop his clogs before the real story can come out.



PFI firm run by Tory Peer fund SWP Fighting Unions

grayee Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 06:47:39 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Just when you thought that fact could not get any stranger than fiction with regard to the Diss-respect farrago, it appears that their general secretary, John Rees (pre-split) accepted a dubious $10,000 company cheque from a Dubai construction company, Khansahed Civil Engineering.

This is owned by Interserve, who are a leading Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contractor, chaired by Tory Peer and former Head of the John Major’s policy unit, Lord Norman Blackwell.



Respect Karaoke - A Song for George

grayee Sat Nov 17, 2007 at 07:21:09 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Today two separate diss-Respect Conferences have taken place. Pretty soon we should discover what has gone on as delegates go home and start blogging and leaking furiously.

Many of course will be drowning their sorrows amidst the wreckage and recriminations of the respect project.



West Ham New Capitalists

grayee Fri Oct 26, 2007 at 08:50:47 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

On Thursday evening I was the “guest” speaker at West Ham Labour Party CLP General Committee (GC) at Stratford, Newham, East London, E15.  West Ham lays claim to being the "home of the Labour Party".  So this is a good place to argue why the Labour Movement needs to embrace "New Capitalism".



Respect: Pantomime amidst Hand to Hand Combat?

grayee Sun Oct 14, 2007 at 11:23:45 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Time to have an update on what is happening to our comrades in diss-Respect. My last post on this subject in September featured the SWP slagging off Gorgeous George and his Muslim fundamentalist allies for being anti-gay and practicing "Communal politics".

George had demanded the resignation of the SWP secretary of Respect, John Rees, and his own people to take charge of the Party. The expected bloodbath was postponed due to the prospect of an impending General Election. So we had the farcical performance of George saying he would not stand as a Respect Candidate in Poplar and Limehouse, only to be then “persuaded” by a grovelling plea from the SWP to stand! Now the immediate prospect of a general election is off, things are beginning to return to form.




Bigot is Not Guilty

grayee Wed Oct 10, 2007 at 12:10:37 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

It seems that even the Fundamentalist Far Right can be unfairly treated by the Courts and the Police. On the face of it, the quashing of the conviction on appeal of Newham Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA) Councillor, Simon Ademolake, of assault on Police and Court bailiffs, is somewhat surprising. Especially given that the judge in the original trial clearly expressed the view that Ademolake was lying and that this Christian Councillor choose to evidence without swearing on his bible?



Political Culture of British Asians

Radford Mann Thu Sep 20, 2007 at 12:01:28 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Political culture is a long established concept in political science. The work of Almond and Verba in the 1960s being the classic study of national differences in political culture. But, do we have a multiplicity of cultures in Britain now?



Respect is cursed....says Galloway

grayee Sun Sep 02, 2007 at 06:03:43 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Respect faces “oblivion” it is also moribund; weak; exhausted; amateur, mismanaged; unhealthy, irresponsible- George Galloway also suggests that his SWP “allies” are corrupt (giving internal Party jobs to political pals), interferes in internal elections and not pulling their weight in Council elections. He also gives the green light to the homophobes in Respect by condemning efforts to get Muslim Respect Councillors to attend the Gay Pride festival.

Read it for yourself on the Socialist Unity blog, the 8 page letter that the Gorgeous one wrote to Respect’s National Council.



MP for Baghdad East to stand as candidate in Poplar and Limehouse

Lorin Fri Aug 10, 2007 at 03:36:03 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6940517.stm

Traitor George Galloway is going to challange Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick in the next election.



Shadwell Election Day (and Result)

grayee Fri Aug 10, 2007 at 01:31:41 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Just back home from “post election” curry and chin wag at Zeera Restaurant, Mile End. Delicious as usual.
Ah, received a text from usually very reliable source at the election count at Town hall. Not looking that good at the moment to be honest. At 00:40 Respect on 1400 votes and Labour on 900.




Business Candidates Split Respect

grayee Mon Aug 06, 2007 at 11:13:53 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

I do favour trade unionism. We need all the trade we can get, so we have to help them.
So says business wing Respect candidate, Harun Miah, for the Shadwell by-election, Tower Hamlets, when interviewed about his views in the recent Workers Weekly article entitled Respect - the party for everybody. The by-election is this Thursday 9 August.
It is quite clear that Harun hasnt a clue what trade unions are about he seems to think we are some type of trade body?
It gets even more farcical when Harun reflects upon a certain sensitive subject that many on the left traditionally hold strong views about.



Labour Rally at Cable Street - Michael Keith "on the stump"

grayee Sun Aug 05, 2007 at 07:46:09 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Yesterday there was an outdoor rally for Labour Candidate Michael Keith in the Shadwell by-election, Tower Hamlets. The rally took place in the garden area adjacent to the Battle of Cable Street Mural (see main photo) painted on the side of St Georges Town Hall.



marxism 2007 - SWP thug assaults expelled member allegation

grayee Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 05:30:21 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

As if the SWP doesn’t have enough trouble at the moment with the disintegration of “Respect”.  The Workers Weekly alleged that expelled SWP member “Simon D” was attacked by a SWP national officer and one other at the Marxism 2007 event yesterday.  Ironically this was apparently while Simon was waiting to attend the so-called “Organising Fighting Unions” workshop.
 

Simon was allegedly “wrestled to the floor, sustaining bruising, abrasions and back strain. A second SWPer then joined in and they started to go through our prone comrade’s pockets to take his Marxism ticket”. 



Respect are - bickering, immature and self-serving - Councillor resigns

grayee Sun Jul 08, 2007 at 03:53:50 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Following my post last Tuesday about Tower Hamlets Councillor Shamim Chowdury resigning from Respect and that there was rumoured to be a “hot press release” about, the “East End Advertiser” has now published the gory details.

Here are some of the choice quotes about "Respect" from former Councillor Chowdury, who is actually a well respected (in the proper sense of the word) local community activist.



Another one bites the dust.... yet another Respect resignation?

grayee Tue Jul 03, 2007 at 10:11:47 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

If you look at the Tower Hamlets Council web site tonight and check the details for the elected Councillors in Shadwell ward, you will notice that there are now only 2 councillors instead of the 3 listed previously.  Rumour mill has it that Respect Councillor, Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury, (who got the highest vote for diss-respect in the ward) has resigned not only as a Councillor but also as a member of Respect.  There is apparently a “hot” press release out somewhere. 




See no Evil: Diss-Respectful hypocrisy?

grayee Mon May 28, 2007 at 11:38:05 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Former Tower Hamlets Respect councillor, Wais Islam, makes a damning attack on “Respect” in this week’s East End Advertiser (24 May 06 page 12 “Off you Chest” - can’t find an Internet link yet). One of the reasons he gave for leaving Respect and joining Labour was that “George Galloway and Respect should practice what they preach. They call on the Town Hall to employ ethic minorities and make accusations of “institutional racism”…. Yet Respects own employees are mostly non-ethnic minority. How hypocritical”.



May Day Present for Labour: Respect Cllr rejoins Party

grayee Tue May 01, 2007 at 07:51:17 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Respect Cllr Waiseul Islam rejoins the Labour Party and the controlling group on Tower Hamlets Council. He attacks diss-Respect for dividing the community for purely political reasons, he attacks Galloway for doing TV shows but not turning up to his surgery's and believes that Labour is the only Party to defeat the Tories. Is diss-Respect finally beginning to self-destruct? Interesting stuff! I must do some digging.

The press release quotes him as saying " "This has been a long and carefully thought out decision by me to leave the Respect Party and to join the Labour Party. I have always believed in the principles of Labour and what it stands for and I have never felt comfortable within Respect since the election in May 2006. I have been more and more frustrated with Respect which offers little in the way of policies, direction or service to the local community in Tower Hamlets, which is the real reason why I entered politics. I reject the notion of dividing the local community for political gain, which is what I believe Respect are effectively doing."

"My motivation for returning to the Labour Party is that it will enable me to better serve my constituents and work alongside people that have more in common with my own political views. In hindsight, my move to the Respect Party was a major error in my judgement and if I had the insight into Respect that I do now, it is not something that would have happened. The challenge for me is to represent my constituents and support residents within the borough who are facing a wide range of issues. I believe that I can deliver much more effectively for local residents by being with a party that has a vision and represents all of the communities within the borough."

"Respect is not a party that can deliver, especially when its elected MP is hardly visible in his constituency, leaving those who voted for him neglected. He has time to attend television shows and present radio shows but not to turn up to his surgery and meet his constituents. I believe this is wrong."

"With government and council support I believe that local residents can benefit from the socio-economic regeneration of the area. This can only be achieved by working with a progressive party that can carry the citizens of the borough into the future and not take it backward. Labour is also the only party that can truly challenge uninvited Tories creeping into Tower Hamlets and attempting to destroy it with their discredited policies."

Cllr. Denise Jones, Labour Leader of Tower Hamlets Council has welcomed Cllr. Islam's decision saying:
"Labour is the only party in Tower Hamlets with both the record and the vision to improve the lives of local people. I am glad that Cllr. Islam will be joining us in this work and I am sure that his constituents in Whitechapel as well as the people of Tower Hamlets as a whole will benefit from his principled decision. Respect has long claimed to be what they are not and now we have heard the real truth from one who knows - he has said that Respect stands for division and inaction and have nothing to offer the people of the East End."

Issued by Labour Group Media and Communications Officer
For further information on this press release please phone 020 7364 4990